What is bred in the bone will come out of the flesh.本性终必暴露。
bred in the bone字面意义是“生在骨头上的”,也就是“在皮肉之下的深处”;所以作为成语,意思是指先天的习惯或根除不了的特征都表露了出来。中国有句成语“江山易改,本性难移。”这个“本性”就是bred in the bone。这句谚语也可意译为“有诸内而形诸外”。
说明性格是与生俱来的谚语有以下三句:
The wolf may lose his teeth, but never his nature.
狼牙会掉,狼性难改。
Eagles do not breed doves.
苍鹰不产鸽子。
No good apple on a sour stock.
好的苹果不会出自酸的品种。
相关的谚语还可参阅The leopard cannot change his spots.